Germany asks Justin Bieber to pay costs of caring for his monkey

By Laura Smith-Spark and Stefan Simons, CNN

Updated 10:38 AM ET, Thu August 1, 2013

Bieber monkey's new life in Germany5 photos

Bieber monkey's new life in Germany – Justin Bieber's capuchin monkey -- confiscated by German officials -- is out of quarantine and about to join a new "family" at Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, near Hanover in northern Germany.

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Bieber monkey's new life in Germany5 photos

Bieber monkey's new life in Germany – Mally is 27 weeks old and weighs 1.3 kilograms. He was taken to a Munich animal shelter after he was confiscated at the end of March as Bieber arrived in Germany on tour.

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Bieber monkey's new life in Germany5 photos

Bieber monkey's new life in Germany – Karl Heinz Joachim of the animal shelter told CNN in April that the monkey was "not distressed" but was too young to have been taken from his mother.

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Bieber monkey's new life in Germany5 photos

Bieber monkey's new life in Germany – Mally is to start life with his new family of six other capuchin monkeys, three males and three females.

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Bieber monkey's new life in Germany5 photos

Bieber monkey's new life in Germany – Mally is the first to arrive at the zoo's new monkey area, says spokeswoman Juliane Gunkel. His new home consists of a tree-covered island dubbed "Mally-bu."

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Story highlights

German authorities ask Justin Bieber to pay nearly $8,000 for the care of his monkey

The monkey was seized in March after Bieber brought it on tour without the right paperwork

German customs officials have made the bill public after failing to reach Bieber

Bieber could be denied entry if he doesn't pay before he next comes to Germany -- official

German authorities have asked pop star Justin Bieber to hand over nearly $8,000 for the costs of caring for the capuchin monkey he left behind in Munich after bringing it on tour without the right paperwork.

The bill covers the cost of vaccinations, accommodation and transport for the monkey, known as Mally, which is now being cared for at a zoo in northern Germany.

Customs officials posted a public notice of the bill after failing to get a response from Bieber at the address he gave to customs officials, said Martin Brandlhuber, a customs spokesman at Munich's airport.

In light of that, German authorities have followed the applicable laws and made the claim publicly known, he said.

Bieber must pay up the next time he comes to Germany or risk being denied entry, Brandlhuber said.

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Justin Bieber's monkey seized in Germany

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Bieber misses his monkey

If he is unable to pay cash, then customs officials could confiscate other property to meet the claim, Brandlhuber said. Alternatively, Bieber could be denied entry and be required to provide a valid address.

The young monkey was taken to a Munich animal shelter after it was confiscated at the end of March as Bieber arrived in Germany on a European tour.

Mally was transferred to the Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, near Hanover, in June after spending several weeks in quarantine.

Bieber had until May 7 to present the paperwork to reclaim his pet but failed to do so, zoo spokeswoman Juliane Gunkel said last month.

As a result, Mally is now the property of the German government, and the Serengeti Park is acting as the caretaker. The park was picked because it is the only zoo in Germany that has a family of capuchins for Mally to join.

Bieber's representatives declined to comment at the time the animal was confiscated.